When’s the New Album Coming Out? Waiting on Rihanna, Adele, Frank Ocean, and Robyn

After months of teasing, Nicki Minaj finally announced the release date (November 24) for her long-awaited album, The Pink Print. But the firm date for her album only put into relief how little we know about the eagerly anticipated follow-ups from some of music’s other big stars—Rihanna, Adele, Frank Ocean, and Robyn, to name of few—all of whom are said to be working on big projects but have yet to announce details.

The question on a lot of people’s minds concerns the Beyoncé Effect: the wake left by her shock-tactic, industry-shifting “visual album,” which included videos for every song and was released as a massive package all at once and without warning, and went on to become the fastest-selling album in iTunes history. Are artists having to figure out ways to out-Beyoncé Beyoncé? Are facts hazy because pop’s finest are planning their own surprise albums to come? Here’s what we know about music’s most anticipated releases.

Frank Ocean Frank Ocean preceded his 2012 album, Channel Orange, with a surprise Internet announcement of his own, posting a note on his Tumblr about falling in love with a man. (Maybe his frequent collaborator Beyoncé noted how well he took hold of his own narrative—Ocean had a cameo on Beyoncé.) The record was a star-making vehicle for Ocean, going gold and winning a Grammy, but the notoriously private star is mostly mum about a follow-up. In April, he once again took to his Tumblr to announce that the record was nearly done and would be coming out this summer, but now it’s fall and we haven’t heard a peep.

Rihanna Rihanna released an album every November for four years (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012), so she threw everyone for a loop when she missed her 2013 deadline. Perhaps Mr. Knowles tipped her off to the coming of Beyoncé. As her manager, Jay Z has a vested interest in her album not being overshadowed; as her label’s head, which he became when Rihanna signed to Roc Nation this spring, his vested interest became even greater. Impossible to say, but Rihanna’s probably the one artist on this list with enough star power to pull off Bey-like shock and awe. Thankfully for her fans, at the very least, she’s been killing the style game.

Kanye’s Yeezus was the pre-Beyoncé, with a release campaign that probably influenced his friend Beyoncé: He made an ominous announcement on Twitter before it came out, worked on it until the very last minute, and did almost no promotion for the album—aside from creating a visually stunning video. “With this album, we ain’t drop no single to radio,” he told the Guardian. “We ain’t got no NBA campaign, nothing like that. Shit, we ain’t even got no cover. We just made some real music.” Ever excitable, he quickly announced a follow-up album to be released this summer. Though clips have been leaking out on Instagram and on the Kimye wedding episode of (watch above) Keeping Up With the Kardashians, there’s still no Yeezus II.

Adele It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost four years since Adele released 21, the record that won her six Grammys and made her powerful voice one of the most beloved on the planet. All we’ve heard from her since is the Skyfall theme song, for which she won an Oscar. To be fair, she’s been a little busy—after breaking up with the guy who inspired the heartbreak songs on 21, she’s had a son, Angelo, with her partner Simon Konecki. Industry insider Paul Mosstweeted that Adele’s album may come in late 2014 or early 2015 with a first single next month, but it’s anyone’s guess how she’ll follow up the blockbuster album of the last five years.

Grimes

Grimes signed with Jay Z’s Roc Nation management company in 2013 (joining Rihanna), so her next project could very well mint her a superstar. But all we’ve heard from Grimes since 2012’s buzzy Visions is her own take on a track, “Go,” that she reportedly co-wrote for—but was rejected by—RiRi herself.

Robyn The long wait following 2010’s Body Talk has only helped to create the insane cult that now exists around Robyn. Her live shows are now met with rapture. Though she put out a collaborative album with Röyksopp this year, and influenced a whole new crop of DIY pop stars, Robyn needs to give her fanatics new music of her own to dance to. As critic Lindsay Zoladzpointed out this summer, Robyn has confirmed an EP, but is so beloved, she might not even need to rush it: “Robyn takes her time. She seems to exist somewhere above the deadlines and expiration dates that too often govern the careers of other (especially female) pop stars.”